


A Hero’s Namesake [Fred Weasley II]

by OnceAndFuturePrat



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-23
Updated: 2020-01-18
Packaged: 2020-05-18 12:02:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,431
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19334149
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OnceAndFuturePrat/pseuds/OnceAndFuturePrat
Summary: Welcome to Fred Weasley II's time at Hogwarts. What problems will he face? Will he be expected to live up to his father and uncle's reputation?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don’t own Harry Potter in any way, shape or form. I just own this plotline

Professor McGonagall, Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, sat back in her throne-like chair and sighed. "We have Fred Weasley this year." The portrait of Albus Dumbledore, previous Headmaster of the school, also sighed. "I wish you luck, Minerva. If he's anything like his father and uncle, you'll have a lot to deal with." Minerva huffed.  
"Indeed. I hope he is, to some level. Both twins were incredibly smart. I just hope Fred II isn't as much of a handful as those boys were." Just then, Professor Flitwick, Head of Ravenclaw House, Deputy Headmaster and Charms Professor, walked through the door to her office. "Good afternoon, Minerva. I was just looking at our list of students that we are accepting this year. It says we have Fred Weasley." The tiny Professor squeaked. "I thought I was misreading... surely it can't be a coincidence?" He gave Minerva a questioning look. She looked at him almost sadly. "I apologise, Filius. I thought you already knew. Fred Weasley II is the first-born son of George Weasley." She said. Filius sighed. "Ah. I see. And he named him Fred?" Minerva nodded. "I assume that's after Fred Weasley I?" He asked her. Once again, Minerva nodded. "I would believe so. If you remember when the Weasley Twins were at Hogwarts, Filius, then you should know how close those two were, and how devastated George was when Fred was killed during the war." She said with a nod. Filius hummed in agreement, before bidding goodbye to Minerva and exiting the office. Minerva stood up and walked round her desk to face Dumbledore. She stood there for a few seconds, her hands on the desk, looking at the portrait, before speaking. "I knew he'd name him after Fred. The second I found out he'd had a son, even before George told me his name, I knew what it would be. You know, Albus, sometimes I really do miss Fred Weasley. He was incredibly smart, loyal, funny and mature when he needed to be. Very well-liked, as I'm sure you remember." She said. Albus nodded. "Indeed I do, Minerva. Indeed I do. Fred and George Weasley became Hogwarts legends, as far as I'm aware." He said, smiling. Minerva also smiled slightly. "Yes. They did. When they left the school in the most... fashionable way, they definitely left a mark on the students and staff who remained at Hogwarts." Dumbledore chuckled slightly. "And now, you have Fred Weasley once again. I wonder if he will find a friend that's as close to him as George Weasley was to Fred I." He gave a thoughtful smile, as though he was thinking about the future. Minerva also smiled fondly. "I will bet, however, that he is in Gryffindor. Every Weasley I have ever met has been in Gryffindor. If he really is anything like his father and uncle, he will be in Gryffindor." She also wondered if he'd be a good Quidditch player. Fred I and George were outstanding Beaters, after all. She hoped he took after them in the way of flying. "Tell me, Minerva, have you ever met the boy?" Dumbledore asked. Minerva nodded. "Once. When he was three. On April 1st, 2005, George came down to see the plaque in the Gryffindor Common Room with all the names of Gryffindors who had died in the war. He brought Fred with him. April 1st is, after all, the Weasley twins' birthday. I've heard that George doesn't celebrate it anymore, he only comes here to see the plaque and walk the halls for a couple of hours before returning home. Fred II looks a lot like the twins. I saw Fred and George for the first time when they were four, and I knew I'd have my hands full when they came to Hogwarts. They were identical, to the last freckle. And Fred II looks so much like they did." She said fondly. She sat back down in her chair and looked at the list of around seventy eleven year olds who will be joining the school that year. Just then, a tawny owl soared through the open window and landed on her desk. She untied the letter that was attached to it and read it through twice. 

"Albus, do you remember Lee Jordan?" She said, after about five minutes of thought, not looking round at the painting. Albus hummed quietly. "Yes. I do. Gryffindor, very loud, raucous boy. He was friends with the Weasley twins and he was commentator for the Quidditch matches?" He asked. McGonagall nodded. "Yes. Him. He's asked for a job. He wants to teach Transfiguration." Albus hummed again. "Are you in need of a Transfiguration teacher?" He asked.   
"Yes. I put the advertisement up last month. I just didn't expect him to be a teacher. True, he was excellent at Transfiguration. Got an O at OWL and at NEWT level. I think he surprised himself with those results." Albus thought for a few seconds. "Then, by all means, accept his offer. He will be... 31, now? He would be looking for jobs." McGonagall sighed and agreed with Albus, pulling a roll of parchment, a quill and some ink towards her and began to write the acceptance letter for Lee Jordan. The tawny owl, however, was nowhere to be seen. "Guess I won't be using you then." Minerva said quietly to herself. She was about halfway through the letter when suddenly, the fire that was crackling in the place turned bright emerald, and the flames roared as George Weasley's head appeared in the midst of them. 

"George! To what to I owe the pleasure?" Minerva exclaimed, surprised by the sudden appearance. "Hey, Professor. Mind if I join you?" George asked, looking around the fire. McGonagall stood and walked over to him. "Of course! Just come on through." She stood back, and the next second, George Weasley was stepping through the fire, brushing ash off his robes. "Sorry about the rug." He said, gesturing to the soot that was now scattered on it. "No bother." Minerva said, cleaning the rug with a lazy wave of her wand. "Please, sit." She said, gesturing towards the chair on the other side of her desk. George sat, and Minerva took her place in the throne-like chair, opposite George. "Now. I'm guessing you're not here just for a little catch-up?" She said, smiling slightly. George gave a small, breathy laugh. "No, funnily enough, I'm not. I'm here to talk about my son, Fred." He said, his face turning uncharacteristically serious. Minerva nodded. "I thought as much. What is it you need me to know?" George was quiet for a few seconds, then took a deep breath and explained. "Well, you know how he's named Fred?" He started. Minerva nodded and urged him to carry on. "Well, it's not exactly a secret what me and Fred did whilst at Hogwarts ourselves. Everyone knows of our escapades so to speak. I know for a fact Professor Flitwick still has a jar half full of the swamp we created when Umbridge was here." He said, smiling. Minerva also smiled, remembering how Filius had managed to save the jar of swamp after the war. "Yes, he does. He keeps it in his office, on his desk. He shows it to his Seventh Year class, to show what can be achieved with hard work and dedication." George snickered slightly.   
"Anyways. Fred's name is one that is still well-known throughout the Wizarding community. I know it is, because people talk about him. I overhear them in the shop. With my son being named after a Hogwarts Legend, so to speak, he's going to be getting a lot of attention. People asking questions about what it's like being called Fred, if he's like me, if he's going to prank the teachers and... and how Fred died. Nobody actually knows. We didn't tell anyone. Just the family and close friends know. Fred is, unfortunately for you, a lot like me. He tries to be like us. Like me and Fred. He absolutely loves positive energy and attention, but the amount of questions he gets from other kids sometimes scares and overwhelms him. I just... I want Hogwarts to be like a second home to him. I don't want him to be badgered by the kids all the time. Fred's death still hurts to this day... and it hurts Fred too, because he never got to meet his favourite uncle. I just... I don't want him to feel stressed about Fred. I don't want him to think that he has to live like we did, that he has to live up to our reputation. The kids won't help with that. Just, could you please keep an eye on him? Make sure he's ok? And warn the other Professors, because he will be questioned, and they can ask, but he just can't have loads of kids crowding round him all at once, demanding answers. Does all that make sense?" Minerva thought for a moment about what George had said. "Yes. It does. Fred Weasley II was always going to be a student I kept my eye on, even if you hadn't paid me a visit." She said, with a pointed look and a smile. George chuckled. "Yeah, I'm not surprised. Well, I best be off. I have an excited eleven year old to contain. Angelina's got her hands full with me gone. Fred can't wait to get his Hogwarts letter. He's been bouncing off the walls since the day he found out that he was getting his letter once he turned eleven." He said fondly, and a little amused. "Yes, the letters will be out shortly. He can expect them within the week. Although, I wouldn't tell him that, considering he's already excited." George laughed. "Yeah. If he's bad, you can imagine what me and Fred were like when we were expecting ours. There were two of us that Mum had to put up with." He said with a grin. Minerva stood up and walked over to the fire with George. "You take care of yourself, George. It's good to see you again." She said as George grabbed a handful of Floo powder. "It's good to see you too, Professor." He said. He threw the Floo powder into the fire, shouted "Weasley's Wizard Wheezes!" And disappeared. Minerva turned and walked back to her desk. "He's so much more mature now. It's like he's finally grown up." She said to Dumbledore. "Indeed. I'm sure he's still the same George Weasley we knew and loved, though, at heart. Although, losing Fred would have made an impact on him in ways nothing else could." Albus replied. 

The office was silent for a long time, apart from the sounds of Minerva's scratching quill as she wrote a letter to the Minister for Magic, telling her that she had found a replacement Transfiguration teacher. "You know, I'm not surprised Miss Granger became Minister." She said, mostly to herself. "Indeed. She was an outstanding student, I expected big things from her." Dumbledore replied from his portrait. "She's probably the best Minister there's ever been. Out of the ones I've lived to see, she is the best. People respect her massively. They do, of course, know of the large part she played in the war. Being friends with Harry Potter and staying loyal to him was no easy fate, in those days. Ronald Weasley proved that point when he left them, albeit temporarily. Plus the fact that she's Muggle-Born. People look up to her, admire her, aspire to be like her. It's amazing how she goes from the small, terrified eleven year old girl to this brave, strong woman." Minerva said. Dumbledore hummed as though in thought. "True, true. She really was a noticeable student." They lapsed into silence once more. Minerva finished her letter and left her office to go to the owlery, so she could send off her letter. 

She was walking along the winding corridors of the castle, thinking. She thought about Fred II, and how troublesome he was going to be. She thought about how excited Lee Jordan would be that he was going to teach his favourite subject. She smiled at that thought. Everyone had been surprised when Lee got his exam results. Everyone expected him to get a lower grade than what he did, like his Mum and Dad, who were also not particularly good at Transfiguration. Lee and Fred and George Weasley could have easily been Ravenclaw, if they used their incredibly smart brains the right way, meaning to study, not make pranks. Maybe Fred Weasley II would be Ravenclaw? It was highly unlikely, but you never know. Minerva had to admit it, she was looking forward to meeting Fred. She was no longer Head of Gryffindor house, but she would love to have him there. "Professor McGonagall!" Someone exclaimed in surprise. Minerva woke out of her slight stupor and saw Professor Neville Longbottom standing in front of her, looking slightly alarmed with a hand on his chest, breathing heavily. "You made me jump!" He said, smiling. "What brings you out here?" He asked. "I have a letter to send. I've just accepted Lee Jordan's job application. He will be teaching Transfiguration." She said, holding up the letter and giving him a small smile. "Amazing! I always liked him, ever since I first heard him commentate a Quidditch match!" He said, grinning.   
"Yes. And we are also accepting a wizard you may know, this year." She said, smirking slightly. Neville thought for a moment. "It's not one of Harry's, is it?" He asked. Minerva shook her head. "No. His name is Fred Weasley." Neville looked confused for a second, then sad, then a look of understanding cracked his face. "Oh! George's kid?" He said. Minerva nodded. "Wow. He's gonna be hard to teach. And not because he'll be a handful." He said, once again looking sad.   
"I understand, Neville. I, too, will find it difficult to address him sometimes." She said. Neville nodded. "I'll let you send your letter then. See you around." Neville said. Minerva nodded and let him pass, before continuing up to the owlery. She selected one of the larger school owls, one she knew Lee used to like using, and tied the letter to its leg. "Get him fast, ok? He needs to accept his place sharpish." She watched the owl fly away until it was a mere speck in the bright sky, then turned on her heel and began the journey back to her office. 

When she returned, George was stood in front of the fire with his back facing her. "George! Back again so soon? I thought you were helping Angelina?" When George turned around, however, he had tears in his eyes. "George, what's wrong?" George looked down at the floor, then promptly sat, resting his elbows on his knees and pressing his fingertips against his forehead. He gave a gigantic sniff and when he spoke, his voice was full of emotion. Minerva walked over to him and conjured a small, round stool, where she sat. "George? What is it?" She said, cautiously laying a hand on his back. When he didn't pull away, he laid it a bit firmer. "I just gave Fred a sweater. It has the letter F on the front of it. He realised quickly enough what the letter meant. It was the one Fred got during our first Christmas at Hogwarts in our First Year. Fred, my son... he said... 'why did you need letters on the front of them? You both... you both knew you were called Gred and Forge.' And... and Fred and I said that to Harry when he got a sweater with a Snitch on the front. It just... he reminds me... so much of him. Sometimes I regret calling him Fred." He said. As he spoke, tears slowly made their way down his cheeks. Minerva was slightly surprised at his words. George was never very open, especially not with her. So she just listened to what he had to say. "I'm sure he's proud of you, George. I know you've probably heard it many times, but I'm sure he is. And I'm sure he's proud of Fred II and Roxanne." George laughed slightly. "Yeah. Yeah I guess. Can I stay here for a bit? Fred and Roxanne are at Mum's place, so Angelina's helping Ron in the shop while I'm out." Minerva nodded. "Yes of course. Stay here as long as you like. Except, you'll have to leave on September first." She said with a small smile. George gave a small laugh and stood up. "I think I'm just gonna pay a visit to Gryffindor Common Room. There's a plaque in there with my brother's name on it." With that, he left the office. "Remember when I told you he was devastated? I wasn't exaggerating." Minerva said. The portrait of Albus Dumbledore hummed again. "So young, to be feeling so much pain. He's come a long way, Minerva. You can't expect him to hold it together forever." Minerva shook her head and sat down behind her desk once more, pulling out a book to read now that she was on top of all her paperwork. The office was silent for about ten minutes before Filius walked in again. "Minerva, oh I must be going crazy, is it just me, or have I just seen Fred Weasley?" It took Minerva a few seconds to realise what he was talking about. "Oh, no, Filius. You saw George. He's paying a visit to the plaque. Something his son just said to him struck a slight nerve." Filius nodded. He wasn't right after the war, something had changed inside him. "Ah. Well, in other news, I've just sent them, Minerva. Every acceptance letter there is to send. Which means myself, Neville, and Horace will be out tomorrow, helping the Muggle-Borns understand magic. There isn't many this year. Only around ten, so we should be back before the day is up." He squeaked. Minerva nodded.   
"That's ok, Filius, I know the drill. I used to do it myself. In fact, I was the one who introduced the current Minister for Magic to the Wizarding Community." Filius nodded.   
"It's safe to say George and Angelina Weasley will have their hands full tomorrow." He laughed. Minerva also chuckled slightly, as did the portrait of Dumbledore. "Indeed. He will have to be careful with what he gives Fred, as well. Give him anything slightly dangerous and you can guarantee some accidental magic." She said, still smiling. Filius agreed with her, squeaked a goodbye, then left the office. "I better go and warn George." She said, exiting the office and heading to Gryffindor Tower. 

When she entered the portrait hole, she saw the George was sat at the table in front of the plague, resting his chin on his fists and staring at the wooden-metal slab that is permanently stuck to the wall. She sat down next to him and saw tear tracks staining his cheeks. She ignored them. "Fred will get his acceptance letter tomorrow. Filius just sent them all off. I just thought I'd come and warn you." She said with a slight smile. George laughed a little. "Yeah, I'll definitely have my hands full. Angelina is visiting her Mum tomorrow, so she'll be out all day. Marvellous." He added sarcastically. They were silent for a short while, and Minerva read some of the names on the plaque and thought about them individually

Remus Lupin  
The kind-hearted boy who had to suffer with lycanthropy for as long as he could remember, yet still made some true friends he stayed loyal to.

Nymphadora Tonks-Lupin   
The clumsy metamorphmagus who always managed to split a grin on someone's face. Absolutely terrific Auror.

Alastor 'Mad-Eye' Moody   
The best Auror anyone had ever seen. Filled half of Azkaban. He was incredibly tough, brave and slightly mad. 

Fred Weasley   
She paused here. Fred Weasley's death was the hardest of them all.   
Loyal, funny, hardworking young man. Incredibly brave, right to the end. Even during the war, he was laughing. He was such a cheerful person who brought light to the darkness and an outstanding Quidditch player.

Colin Creevey   
So young, to be fighting so many. He was underage, but snuck back in to protect Harry Potter, whom he was always loyal to. He was the only person to ever get Harry Potter's autograph

Sirius Black   
Ex-convict, proven innocent just a little too late. He didn't get enough time with his godson, whom he loved dearly. The first proper father figure to Harry Potter

"I hated that war." George said suddenly, waking Minerva from her reverie. "As did everyone, George. Nobody likes war. Except Voldemort and most of the Death Eaters." She said. George shook his head. "No, Professor, I mean I really hated that war. I didn't just not like it, I hated it. Despised it. Too many great people died that day. And, you know what this kid said to me once, in Diagon Alley?" Minerva shook her head.   
"No, George I'm afraid I don't." George turned to look at her. "Some daft thirteen year old said to me 'you're George Weasley!' So I turned around and told him I knew. Then he says to me 'your twin brother was killed in the war, wasn't he? That's so cool!' He said it was cool. He said it was cool that Fred was killed. In a war." Minerva sighed. "I understand, George. I really do. But, now we have to focus on a new generation. Your son starts Hogwarts this year, George. He will, most likely, carry on Fred's legacy." Despite himself, George snickered. "Yeah. Yeah, you're right. Fred would slap me silly if he saw me now. If he saw me that time in Diagon Alley. If he saw me at all for the first two months after the war. It was only when Harry pranked me that I would have thought Fred smiled down at me. And now I have to smile down at Fred, right?" Minerva nodded. What George had just said didn't really make sense, but it made enough sense for her to know how to reply. "Indeed. He will need your support. He will be very popular before he even sets foot in Hogwarts." George smiled.   
"Yeah, he will be. I'm going to go. I have a shop to run." He said. Minerva and George both stood up and left through the portrait hole. Neither said a word until they reached Minerva's office and George had thrown Floo powder into the flames. "I'll see you again some time, Minerva." He said, before once again stepping into the emerald fire and shouting 'Weasley's Wizard Wheezes!' then disappearing." Minerva stood there for a second. She had never heard George call her 'Minerva' before. She sighed and sat back at her desk, smiling. This was going to be an interesting year.


	2. A Letter From School

"Dad, it's here! It's here, Dad! Dad! IT'S HERE!" George ran into the room, startled by his son's screams. Sure enough, Fred was holding onto the windowsill, jumping up and down and pointing at something in the sky. Upon closer inspection, George saw it was an owl with a letter tied to its leg. "Uh oh." He said quietly to himself. Just then, Angelina and Roxanne ran into the room to see what all the fuss was about. "Fred's Hogwarts letter's here." George explained. The four of them watched as the owl got closer and closer to the open window, Fred getting more and more excited as it did so. When it landed on the windowsill, Fred's hands were shaking so much that they made the owl vibrated as he untied the letter. "Oh my god, it's here!" Fred said, running around the table holding his letter. "Well, open it then!" George said, grinning. Angelina had tears in her eyes, and Roxanne was looking disgruntled. "I want to go to Hogwarts." She said sullenly.  
"Next year, love. Next year." Angelina said comfortingly. Fred ripped open his letter, almost tearing the thing itself, and read aloud. " _'Dear Mr Weasley,  
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!'_... Oh this is the best day of my life!" He said, once he'd finished reading through the letter. "' _Witchcraft and Wizardry_... this is amazing! When can I get my wand? My books? A broomstick?" He exclaimed excitedly. George laughed. "Slow down there, tiger. You already have a Nimbus. And anyways, you can't try out for your House Quidditch Team until next year. Only second years and above are allowed on the team. You know that." Fred groaned in desperation. "But uncle Harry was Gryffindor Seeker in First Year!" George laughed.  
"Yeah. Remember Oliver Wood telling us that Harry Potter was his new Seeker? He was practically crying." He said, nudging Angelina, who laughed. "Yeah, I do. He was jumping up and down on the spot like a teenage girl. It was hilarious." She said.  
"We can go and get your books tomorrow, Fred. Your mum can watch the shop, I'm sure." George said, smiling goofily at Angelina. "Yes! I'll go and get a bag ready! I'm getting a wand! An actual wand! Of my own!" Fred said excitedly, before sprinting up the stairs. George and Angelina could hear him shouting and jumping in his room. "Never seen a kid so excited over a letter from school. Except me and Fred when we got ours. I reckon Fred's reaction gives ours a run for our money, though." George said, smiling fondly at the memory of him and Fred driving their Mum bonkers in their excitement to get their letters. They stood in silence for a few minutes, listening to Fred run around his room. Then, a big, black owl flew through the still open window and landed on the table. "It's Lee! That's Lee's owl!" George said, walking over to the owl and untying the letter. "Oh, that reminds me, I need to send a letter to Hogwarts, accepting Fred's place. Could you do that please, Angelina?" He asked his wife as he tore open the envelope from Lee. Angelina nodded and went into the living room, taking Roxanne with her. "Right... what do you want, aye, Lee?" George said, unfolding the parchment. "' _George,  
You'll never guess what? I've been accepted at Hogwarts! Not as a student, obviously. I'm teaching! Transfiguration. You know how weirdly good I was at that subject. I wrote to McGonagall a couple of days ago, and I just got her acceptance letter! I'm teaching at Hogwarts, man! God, I'll be teaching Fred! That's gonna be weird. I'll tell Fred later. I'm coming over to WWW at six.  
Lee._'"  
"Well then." George said. "Lee, teaching... wow." Angelina came through into the kitchen shortly after that with a letter in hand. "It's only short, but it'll do. What did Lee want?" She asked George, who turned to her and grinned. "He gonna be teaching Transfiguration. He just got his acceptance letter. Oh, and he's meeting us at the shop at six to tell Fred." Angelina smiled and clapped a couple of times. "Oh, that's amazing! He was great at Transfiguration, I think it surprised everyone when he got his results. I'll make Lasagna, I know he likes that." She said. 

Upstairs, in his room, Fred was ecstatic. "I got my Hogwarts letter, Roonil!" He said to his Pigmy Puff. He was one of the larger ones, electric blue and quite fluffy. He had named him Roonil after uncle Ron told him a story about a spell-checking quill losing its magic, and instead of 'Ronald', it wrote 'Roonil'. Fred had found it hilarious, and uncle Ron was honoured to have a Pigmy Puff named after him. He paced his room, reading and rereading the two letters he had been sent. "I need a cauldron... remember when Dad made that cauldron explode in the kitchen, last time he tried to cook? That was hilarious." He said, grinning. "God, I can't wait to go to Hogwarts." He set about getting a bag ready. His Mum had already bought him a school bag, so he decided to use that one. This was for school, after all. He put in it his money bag, which was full of the pocket money he had been saving since last year, a jacket, a hat and some tissues, in case his Mum started crying. He unpacked and repacked his bag several times over before eventually settling down on his bed with some of uncle Ron's old comic books. Aunt Hermione had sent him Hogwarts: A History for his birthday, but he had merely read the contents page and got bored. He hated formal things. He wanted to be like Dad and uncle Fred. He was going to be a Hogwarts legend. He wanted to prank the teachers and pupils, make everyone laugh, throw huge parties when Gryffindor won Quidditch matches. He wanted to be the life and soul of Hogwarts. He couldn't wait to start his first year. 

"Bathrope Cottage!" George yelled into the fire, throwing Floo powder into it. He knelt down and stuck his head into the emerald flames. "Hey Lee." He said, grinning as his best friend bounced over and sat cross-legged in front of the fire. "Hey George!" He beamed. "What's up? I'm not coming 'til six!" George laughed. "Exactly. I need you to come to my place, not the shop. Fred he, er, he got his Hogwarts letter today. He'll trash half the shop if we take him there." Lee laughed heartily. "Yeah, true. Well, in which case, I'll be at your place at six!" He exclaimed excitedly. George smiled up at him. "Ok. Well, I best be off. I have an excited child to contain. See you later, Lee!" He was about to yank his head out of the fire, when Lee stopped him. "Wait! Try this!" He held out a toffee, and George leaned forwards to accept it. Sucking on the sweet, it changed flavours. Ordinary toffee, blueberry, bubblegum, apple, cinnamon... "this is great! You got them going then?" He asked Lee, who was also sucking on a sweet. "Yep! You just needed a touch more of that weird incoluble essence or whatever you called it. I'll make a load of them now and bring them to you tonight. They're super easy to make once you've got the amounts of everything right! See you tonight!" Lee grinned, moving away from the fire. "Yeah, laters, Lee!" George shouted after him, pulling his head out of the fire. Once the familiar whooshing sensation had stopped and he was staring at his own fireplace, he stood up. "Angelina! Lee's coming here, now, instead of the shop!" He shouted. "Ok, I'll make the Lasagna in a second!" Angelina called back. Satisfied, George went up to see Fred.

Fred had calmed down massively since the moment his letter arrived. He was laid on his bed, reading one of uncle Ron's comic book, although he couldn't help glancing at his letters every so often and grinning. He could hear his Dad talking to someone downstairs, but it was a brief conversation. Dad shouted to Mum about something, then Fred heard footsteps coming up the stairs. About a minute later, there was a knock on the door. "Fred? Can I come in?" It was his Dad.  
"Yeah, sure, Dad." George opened the door and closed it as he entered the room. He sat on the foot of Fred's bed and picked up the letter. "You excited?" He asked, grinning. Fred threw his comic book onto his bedside table and sat up, cross-legged. "Yes, definitely! I'm going to be like you and uncle Fred! I'm gonna prank the teachers, and discover all the secret passageways a-and throw parties when Gryffindor win Quidditch matches! Oh, Dad, I can't wait!" He said excitedly, grinning from ear to ear. George laughed a little. "Slow down, there. Your uncle Fred and I got into a lot of trouble when we were at Hogwarts. You have to know where to draw the line, when to step a toe over it, and when you back completely away from it and be serious. If you go over the top, you could land yourself in tricky situations that you might not be able to get out of. We were pulling pranks since we could walk, so we always knew where the line was. You're a little mischievous kid, but I'm not sure you know the line." George explained. Fred could tell his dad was happy that his son wanted to carry on the Weasley twins' tradition of pulling pranks and causing mayhem, and that made Fred swell with pride. "Then I solemnly swear to you, Dad, that I will learn the line as fast as possible and cause as much mayhem as I can within that line at appropriate moments." He said, a little pompously. His Dad chuckled. "You sound like your uncle Percy." He said, smiling slightly. Fred, however, was outraged. "I am not going to be like uncle Percy! Didn't he disown you all when he was like twenty two or something?" He asked. Dad chuckled. "Yeah, he did. Little git. He made up for it though, when he fought in the war with us." Fred was stunned. He hardly ever heard his Dad talking about the war, he usually only spoke about it with mum, and Fred overhears them sometimes. He remembered a time, when he was eight, just three years ago...

 _Fred was laying in his bed, wide awake. Something was keeping him up, so he couldn't sleep. He figured it was because it had been a strange day. He hadn't seen his Dad all day, Mum said he wasn't feeling well because it was the anniversary of the Battle. Fred was confused. He knew his dad fought in a big battle, that he was very brave, but he didn't know what it was that made him ill. His Mum opened his door to check if he was asleep, so Fred hastily closed his eyes and breathed a little slower, praying that his mum would believe him. She did. She closed the door and went up to the third floor to her's and Dad's room, right above Fred's. It was silent for about half an hour, then Fred heard a quiet whimper. He sat up. It sounded like someone was crying. He heard the sound again, and then the sound of someone comforting someone else. He realised the one comforting was his Mum, which meant his Dad was crying._ But, Dad never cries _he thought. Slowly and quietly, he got out of bed. He was a little tall for his age, and rather skinny, so it was easy to tip toe up the stairs and to his parents' room silently. He gradually opened the door, and thanked the gods that it didn't creak. He stood and watched for a minute, because what he saw shocked him. His Mum was hugging his dad, who was crying quietly into her shoulder. Mum was whispering words Fred couldn't hear to Dad, but they seemed to have little, if any, effect. Then, Fred caught something that his Dad said. "_ I miss Fred so much, Angelina. I really do. _" Fred. But, that was his name! Fear flooded through him. Did his parents think he was dead? Slowly, he walked over and climbed onto their bed. Surprisingly, he didn't scare them. His parents broke apart as he sat at the foot of the bed. He crawled over in between them and snuggled cozily up to his Dad._ "Dad... I'm not dead, you know. I'm still here. _" He said quietly. He heard his Dad's breath hitch and, next second, Fred was being pulled up into a proper sitting position. His Dad hugged him, then spoke, but his voice sounded like he had a cold._ "Fred, your Dad and I need to tell you something." _Mum said. Fred looked up at his Dad, who still had tears dripping down his face. He took a deep breath before he spoke. "_ We're going to tell you about the brave man you were named after."

That was the night Fred found out about Dad's identical twin and how he had died in the Battle of Hogwarts. Dad had started crying halfway through the story, so Mum had to take over. The day after, Fred heard Mum telling Roxanne the story. From that night on, Fred had vowed to be exactly like his Dad and uncle Fred. Waking up from his slumber, he saw Dad had his head bowed. "Dad?" He said. George gave a little jump. Fred laid a hand softly on his Dad's arm. "Don't think about the war. This is a happy day. I'm going to Hogwarts, Dad." He said, with a small smile. George also smiled. "Yeah, you are. Lee's coming over at six, he's got some great news for you." He said, now grinning again. Fred also wiggled excitedly. He loved it when Lee came over. He was so funny and always had great stories to tell, like Dad. Lee and Dad always told Fred funny stories about their escapades at school, and Fred loved hearing them. "Yes! What news?" He asked. Dad, however, shook his head. "No, no! That's for Lee to tell you." He said, waggling a pointing ginger jokingly at Fred, who groaned. "Ugh!" He grumped. Dad laughed. "Yeah. I'm sure you'll love it, though. Also, guess who's coming to Diagon Alley with us tomorrow?" Dad said. Fred leaned forwards excitedly. "Who?" George laughed. "Uncle Harry and aunt Ginny." Fred leaped off the bed in happiness. "Yes! I love uncle Harry, he's ace!" Uncle Harry was none other than Harry Potter, so he always had lots of action-packed stories to tell. He sometime didn't tell them to the full detail, and sometimes they didn't make much sense because Fred didn't know the backstory, but he loved them anyways. Aunt Ginny could sometimes be too loving, like Nana Weasley, and Fred would get a bone-crushing hug that he tried to escape from while uncle Harry and Dad laughed. "Is uncle Ron and Aunt Hermione coming as well?" Fred asked his Dad, who shook his head. "Not this time, son. They're in Hogsmeade tomorrow with Nana and Grandad Weasley." Fred groaned. Uncle Ron helped Dad in the shop. He was uncle Harry's best friend, so he also had lots of stories to tell, although Dad, aunt Hermione or uncle Harry sometimes had nudge him when he went too far. "Make sure you've packed your list. We don't want to forget anything. I've got to help your mum with the Lasagna. She'll no doubt need me to cut some sort of vegetable." With a laugh, Dad exited the room, leaving a very excited Fred in his wake. 

"WHAT? You're teaching Transfiguration?" The four Weasleys and Lee were sat in the living room, stuffed to the brim with Lasagna and ice cream. Lee has just told Fred about how he will be teaching him this year, and Fred was ecstatic. "Yep, and hopefully for the rest of my life, if I make it that far!" Lee grinned. Fred jumped up and and punched the air. "Yes! So, does that mean you can help me with my pranks?"  
He asked excitedly. "Absolutely not! He's a teacher, so he's not allowed." Mum said. Fred and Lee groaned. "I'll turn a blind eye if I see a dung bomb, though. Just, don't pull any that I obviously see, because I don't really wanna give you detention. If I can turn around in time, do it. If I can't, leave it or go somewhere else." Lee said, laughing. George also laughed. "Classic. Really classic, Lee. Just turn a blind eye and everything will be hunky-dory!" He said, laughing. Lee nudged Fred, who had sat back down next to him. "If it’s a good enough prank and you're not in Slytherin, I'll award House Points." He said, grinning. Fred also laughed, but quickly stopped. He hadn't thought about the possibility of not being in Gryffindor. To him, Gryffindor was an obvious choice, because all his family and friends, except for Luna, were in Gryffindor. Yet, there were three other Houses he could be sorted into, and one of them was Slytherin. Thankfully sensing his tension, his Dad spoke up. "Don't worry, kiddo. I'm sure you'll get Gryffindor." With that thought in mind, all the Weasleys went to bed, and Lee flooed back to his home after bidding goodbye to everyone. 

Diagon Alley was packed with students. There was everyone from tall Seventh Years to really small First Years. Fred had been to Diagon Alley before, but he was even more excited than usual. The first shop he didn't hesitate to sprint to was Quality Quidditch Supplies. Fred loved Quidditch, aside from Hogwarts, it was his favourite thing ever. He couldn't wait to watch the matches and, even better, try out for his House Quidditch team. "You know, when I played my first Quidditch match, I was terrified. I stood there shaking like a leaf. Do you remember, George?" Uncle Harry said. Dad laughed. "Yeah, you were whiter than Draco Malfoy's hair! It was brilliant!" He said. All the adults and Fred roared with laughter. Albus, uncle Harry's middle child, who's only five, looked up at his Dad, confused. "Daddy, what's Dwaco?" He asked. Uncle Harry laughed and picked up Albus as they walked, resting him at his side, on his hip bone. "Draco Malfoy is someone who wasn't very nice at school." He explained. "Oh." Was Albus' reply. 

By the end of the day, Fred had all of his textbooks, a new cauldron, all his ingredients, a Quaffle (courtesy of uncle Harry), a brown owl and his very own wand. "Eleven and a half inches, dragon heartstring, oak. It's brilliant!" Fred exclaimed for the millionth time that day. "What're you going to name your owl, then, Fred?" Dad asked him. Fred shrugged. "I don't know. There's so many names to choose from." Harry smiled sadly. "You know, when I was at Hogwarts, I had a snowy owl called Hedwig. She was my best friend while I was away from Hogwarts." There was silence for a few moments, then Fred grinned. "Uncle Harry? Can I call my owl Hedwig?" He asked. Harry thought for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah, yeah I guess you can." Fred turned excitedly to the brown owl in the cage next to him. "Hedwig. You're called Hedwig." The owl hooted. It seemed to agree with him. "Right, well, we best be off. We have a train to catch tomorrow. It's going to be a long morning." Dad said. Fred, Roxanne, George and Angelina said goodbye to Harry, Ginny, Albus and James then side-along apparated home. "Right, Fred. It's dinner then bed. You have the be up early in the morning. Roxanne, you too. You're coming with us." Dad said, the second they had all settled. Fred groaned. "But, Dad! I need to pack my trunk, and I need your help!" He exclaimed. George sighed. "We can do that while your mother makes dinner. Now, let's go!"

It was ten o'clock before everything was ready and dinner had settled. Fred's trunk had been a pain to pack. Nobody had any idea why, they just couldn't seem to fit everything in. Eventually, though, Fred and George (A/N- ouch that hurt) had fully packed Fred's trunk. Fred snuggled into bed, eager to get to sleep so he could wake up and go to Hogwarts. "This time tomorrow, you'll be all snug in a four-poster bed." Dad told him as he tucked the blankets around Fred's body. Fred grinned. "I know. And I'll be in Gryffindor Tower, and I'll have ridden the Hogwarts Express, and I'll have been to the feast. Oh, I can't wait!" He whispered excitedly. Dad laughed quietly. "Yes, it is. Promise me you'll write to tell me what house you're in?" Dad said, once again sending a jolt through Fred's stomach at the thought of not being in Gryffindor. "Yeah, as soon as I get to my dormitory." He grinned. Dad laughed and kissed him on top of the head. "Night, kiddo. See you in the morning." He said, slowly backing out of the room. "Night, Dad." Fred said, as tiredness overwhelmed him and he fell into blackness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There it is... wahey

**Author's Note:**

> So, hats the first chapter!! What’d ya think? Reviews and Kudos always welcome :)


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